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Preparing For Your First Summer In The US

You finally convinced your parents you’re ready to stay in the US for the summer and are so excited so start the planning process. But, where do you begin? From housing, to internships, to jobs – we’re here to help!

Find a place to stay. If you’re ready to move off campus permanently, signing a lease that starts during the summer is a great way to transition out of the dorms. You can also sublease a place specifically during the summer months. If you’re really lucky, you can find a room that’s already furnished. To read more about off-campus housing options you can go here. Most schools also offer summer housing as an option (in some cases, you don’t even have to be a student). This can sometimes be a little pricier but you do get the benefit of furniture being included.

Find an internship. We’re assuming you didn’t tell your parents you were spending the summer in the US to get an amazing tan and hang out with your friends (although these are valid reasons too). Summertime is the best time to get some quality real life experience in the field you’re interested in. You can choose to stay in the city where your school is or get adventurous and move somewhere new for the summer. You can learn more about finding an internship here.

Get a job. Unless you’re interning 40 hours a week (which most companies won’t let you do because that makes you a full time employee with a part-time status and that’s not super legal), you have time to get a job. Plus, having money to do fun summertime activities is a must. As an international student, you can’t just go to your local coffee shop and become a hipster barista. We have lots of restrictions on where we can and cannot work. Of course, you can always get a job on-campus but earning minimum wage isn’t always feasible. Do not stress. You can learn more about other options here.

Figure out transportation. If you’re used to living on-campus and never having to commute anywhere, you probably don’t have a car. If you get a job or internship that’s located in a place you can’t walk or bike to – you need to have a transportation plan. Look into your city’s public transportation plan to see if it’ll work for you. If not, maybe this is the perfect time to get your drivers license and a car.

Sign up for classes. If you’re behind or want to get ahead on your course load – summertime is a great time to get that done. Although the time spent during class per week will be higher than during the semester, you will only have to focus on 1-2 classes at once so you might be able to get some easy A’s.

Get tickets to a music festival. Because America is full of them and they are amazing. From Bonnaroo to Forecastle to Lollapalooza, there are plenty to choose from and it’s a requirement for the American college experience.

Have a blast. Summertime is our favorite time of the year. Sure, it might be way too hot depending on where you are but it is always so much fun. The activities are endless! From beach getaways, to boating on a lake, to barbecues and bonfires (can you tell that we are ready for summer??!!) Even if most of your friends will be out of town, there is always room to make new ones and go on super fun adventures!